BEER BARS

Beer is actually the world's oldest and also one of the most popular drinks, along with water and tea. Although beer can be used in sweet pastries, I usually use it in savoury ones. Primarily because those were the ones I started with, but also because I like how it pairs with sauces and stews. When baking with beer, the dough tends to be very flaky, with much less used fat, and I like that texture.

Now, all beers produced today can be divided into two groups – ales and lagers. I used the Löwenbräu original in this recipe, but if you are not a fan of it, use another pale lager that you prefer. Always cook with ingredients you like, and of course, even in pastries never use a beer you wouldn't want to drink. You can spice up the dip, though. Use more Sriracha if you wish, and you can add a bit of chili powder, too.

Ingredients
For the beer bars
400 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
100 ml vegetable oil
1 medium egg
150 ml light beer
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for brushing before baking
1 tablespoon of butter, optional
For the spicy dipping sauce
100 grams mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Sriracha, or to taste

Preparation

Sift the flour with the baking powder, add salt and paprika and whisk well. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg with the oil, then add the beer and blend well. It will foam up a bit, but that is fine. Add about half of the dry ingredients to the beer mixture, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Keep adding the rest of the flour, while mixing with a wooden spoon until you get a soft dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Transfer it to a floured counter and knead it for a few more minutes, to make it more elastic.

Depending on your flour, you may need to add another tablespoon or two, while you knead. Roll the dough out to about 5 mm thickness, and using a pizza wheel, cut out dough bars of desired size. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, brush them with oil and bake them in a preheated oven at 200˚C (400˚F) for 10-12 minutes. If you wish, as soon as you take them out of the oven, brush them with butter (for a softer crust) and serve warm with a spicy mix of mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce. Yields 32 beer bars.